The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife (Blair and Grayson) novel Chapter 231

Chapter 231

-MARCO-

I followed them downstairs.

Annoyed did not cover it.

My mother had packed a fiancée for me because I refused to meet any of the girls she wanted me to date. Now she wanted to force me into marriage with a stranger I knew nothing about.

I had been avoiding this day for years.

It was starting to look like I was running from marriage.

I went anyway.

I always did. If I did not, there would be trouble, and I tried to avoid that as much as possible.

I always used the careful method. Today I was caught between a girl on the lobby sofa and a mother who thought forced marriage was romantic.

Beatrice stood up when we arrived.

She was definitely beautiful. They had not lied about that. Blond hair. Good posture. The kind of dress you wore when your possible future mother–in–law asked you to meet her son and you wanted to look expensive without looking like you had tried too hard.

Everything felt forced the second we shook hands.

The smile arrived on a delay.

The words sounded rehearsed.

Lovely to finally meet you.

I am a big fan.

Your family has been so kind.

Kind?

I almost laughed in her face.

Kind was not the word I would have used for the last twenty minutes of my life.

“Marco,” I said, properly introducing myself.

“I know.” Soft laugh. Scripted laugh. “Everyone knows. I would maybe like to get an autograph after this.”

1/5

11:46 Tue, Sep 29

The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

There it was.

My mother glowed like someone had just approved the wedding date.

My father already looked like the paperwork was done.

I was stiff and having a difficult time already.

We sat.

I asked what she did.

She told me she supported her family’s work and valued tradition.

I asked what she liked.

She told me she liked travel, family, and stability.

I asked if she followed racing.

She told me she followed the important races and thought it was very exciting when we won.

Every answer sounded like my mother had handed her a card on the plane.

Wonderful values.

Good family.

Beatrice mentioned marriage before I had finished my water.

Not as a joke.

As a plan.

And I almost choked.

。7%

76

55 vouchers

She said she imagined a quiet wedding. Then children. A lot of children. She smiled when she said it, like that was the compliment.

I felt my soul leave my body and take the lift back upstairs.

Luca was in the corner watching everything.

Of course he was.

He had come down to rub it in my face, leaning against a pillar after finding the perfect angle to see the entire disaster without having to sit in it.

The idiot was grinning. Every time Beatrice said marry or children or family name, he shot me a look like I had just been given a penalty.

2/5

11:46 Tue, Sep 29

The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

He knew I was not enjoying this.

He was enjoying that I was not enjoying this.

I asked Beatrice one more question, just to be

fair.

What did she want. For herself. Not the family.

Her.

She paused.

…

Then she said she wanted whatever would make our families proud.

I lasted all of twelve minutes.

“I need to use the washroom,” I told my mother.

She frowned. “Marco-”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

55 vouchers

I left before I said something I could not take back. Something like I would rather hit a wall than sit here or please stop talking about babies with a man you met eight minutes ago.

I turned the corner too fast.

Heat hit my shirt. Sauce. Something with tomatoes. Ice water down my chest. Another drink I did not identify because I was too busy watching it soak a dress that looked like it cost more than the lunch.

11:46 Tue, Sep 29

76

“Do you know who I am?” I asked.

It came out wrong. Arrogant. I heard it as soon as I said it. I was still covered in sauce and somehow making it

worse.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify